office?"

No answer.

"Now one of two things must take place. Either you must do something,
or something must be done to you. Now what sort of business would you
like to engage in? Would you like to re-engage in copying for some
one?"

"No; I would prefer not to make any change."

"Would you like a clerkship in a dry-goods store?"

"There is too much confinement about that. No, I would not like a
clerkship; but I am not particular."

"Too much confinement," I cried, "why you keep yourself confined all the
time!"

"I would prefer not to take a clerkship," he rejoined, as if to settle
that little item at once.

"How would a bar-tender's business suit you? There is no trying of the
eyesight in that."

"I would not like it at all; though, as I said before, I am not
particular."

His unwonted wordiness inspirited me. I returned to the charge.

"Well then, would you like to travel through the country collecting
bills for the merchants? That would improve your health."

"No, I would prefer to be doing something else."

"How then would going as a companion to Europe, to entertain some young
gentleman with your conversation,--how would that suit you?"

"Not at all. It does not strike me that there is any thing definite
about that. I like to be stationary. But I am not particular."

"Stationary you shall be then," I cried, now losing all patience, and
for the first time in all my exasperating connection with him fairly
flying into a passion. "If you do not go away from these premises
before night, I shall feel bound--indeed I _am_ bound--to--to--to quit
the premises myself!" I rather absurdly concluded, knowing not with
what possible threat to try to frighten his immobility into compliance.
Despairing of all further efforts, I was precipitately leaving him, when
a final thought occurred to me--one which had not been wholly unindulged
before.

"Bartleby," said I, in the kindest tone I could assume under such
exciting circumstances, "will you go home with me now--not to my office,
but my dwelling--and remain there till we can conclude upon some
convenient arrangement for you at our leisure? Come, let us start now,
right away."

"No: at present I would prefer not to make any change at all."

I answered nothing; but effectually dodging every one by the suddenness
and rapidity of my flight, rushed from the building, ran up Wall-street
towards Broadway, and jumping into the first omnibus was soon r